CIMB extends paid paternity leave from three days to a month

Under a new enhanced policy, CIMB Bank has announced that the paid paternity leave for its male employees who are new fathers, will be increased from three consecutive working days to one month, as reported in The Star.

These revised paternity leave benefits enable fathers to spend more time with their firstborn, and share parental responsibilities with their wives in welcoming their new baby into the world.

The new policy, which took effect on Sunday (18 June), complements the bank’s existing staff rejuvenation programme. Under this programme, staff can take up to six months’ unpaid leave for personal reasons – including extended maternity or paternity leave – while still maintaining their current position or seniority at the bank.

In a statement to Human Resources, chief people officer of CIMB Group, Dato’ Hamidah Naziadin, said: “Today, it is quite prevalent in our society for both husband and wife to be working to support each other and their families. A gender-balanced policy such as our one month paid paternity leave is more meaningful in encouraging couples to share their parental responsibilities, particularly when they become parents for the first time.”

Besides offering maternity and paternity leaves, CIMB had also allocated up to RM1 billion for its zero interest housing loans for the first five years of loan tenure to help its lower income staff manage their monthly expenses. “We are continuously looking to update and enhance our policies to reflect contemporary best practices, to shape a HR strategy that is more focused on our employees’ well-being and a better sense of fulfilment through employment,” Dato’ Hamidah said.